Buses not accepting cash

[TB2]

Just a reminder buses won't accept cash after Sunday. Here are some helpful tips to avoid getting caught out:-

http://www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/faqs/buses/what_happens_if_i_want_pay_a_bus_fare_cash

[puwetter]

Thankyou

[Bic Basher]

BBC London were in LL today talking to locals about their concerns about cashless buses.

http://youtu.be/7qhjVljEdO0

[KalamityKel]

All a bit late to b 'concerned' now though isnt it?

Dont get me wrong im against this whole thing but it was already decided to go ahead despite the "public consultation"

[Callie]

It's going to causing problems for the driver as well as passanger. Not a good move.

[JEZCPR]

Your Oyster card will be able to allow one journey if you have forgotton to top up or didn't realise you didn't have credit.

Then when you top up you just pay your 'overdraft' then carry on as normal

[J-Rex]

I think once people actually get used to the change it will make things easier, but will probably be a rough adjusm,ent period

[simonethebeaver]

The overdraft makes it much easier for those of us who don't live within easy reach of a ticket outlet. If only they would make it possible to activate an online top up on buses somehow.

[Jeremy]

I think it will be OK in the end... the only concern of course is that we have a lot of visitors in London. Business trips, day trippers, tourists, etc surely make up a huge chunk of the "population" at any one time, so I think it needs to be a lot easier to buy the cards in the first place. Things like:

- Signage in central London bus stops, in multiple languages, telling customers where they can buy cards nearby

- Oyster card vending machines at every station (both tube and national rail) selling pre-loaded cards

[Bic Basher]

And so the fun begins on this bus elsewhere in London.

[Jeremy]

Hardly worthy of YouTube, unless someone goes properly apeshit.

[BrandNewGuy]

As has been mentioned on a separate thread, cash payments make up just 1% of fare payments (and the majority of those are by 18- to 34-year-olds, regarded as not relatively vulnerable) and that figure is the same for central London, where a greater proportion of tourists travel. There's a thoughtful blog about the changes here: http://www.londonreconnections.com/2013/ending-cash-fares-buses-daniels-dream-electric-beeps/

And here's the breakdown of bus payment types:

 

[AbDabs]

simonethebeaver Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The overdraft makes it much easier for those of us

> who don't live within easy reach of a ticket

> outlet. If only they would make it possible to

> activate an online top up on buses somehow.

I never go near a ticket outlet; I simply have automated top up of my oyster card from a credit card. I get an email from Oyster every time extra money is transferred from my credit card to my oyster card (using a standard amount that I set), so there is no worry about not knowing where you are financially. What functionality is missing from the online system?

[GinaG3]

To be fair I don't understand why they have taken cash for so long. I take the bus 4 times a day, to and from school I'm on it from 15-30 minutes a time. In the last year I've rarely, very rarely seen anyone trying to pay cash. Oysters and travel cards are convenient even if you have to think ahead the day before if your going somewhere. Its not difficult.

[Lowlander]

If other major cities in the world managed to do away with cash payments starting 20 - 30 years ago, then it makes sense that London finally catchs up. And makes a fuss.

[Mustard]

If you use contactless payment, is the price the same as Oyster?

[BrandNewGuy]

Yes, but currently not capped.

[Bic Basher]

We're lucky here that we have plenty of places to top up at newsagents and the rail stations, yet there are other parts of London where they don't have as many places.

[simonethebeaver]

AbDabs Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> simonethebeaver Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > The overdraft makes it much easier for those of

> us

> > who don't live within easy reach of a ticket

> > outlet. If only they would make it possible to

> > activate an online top up on buses somehow.

>

> I never go near a ticket outlet; I simply have

> automated top up of my oyster card from a credit

> card. I get an email from Oyster every time extra

> money is transferred from my credit card to my

> oyster card (using a standard amount that I set),

> so there is no worry about not knowing where you

> are financially. What functionality is missing

> from the online system?

Auto top up means Tfl permanently has ?5 of my money. I object on principle. I realise I am the only one who suffers from me taking this stance. If it topped you up when you hit zero, I'd be happy.

[antantant]

It can be really hard to find somewhere to top up late at night in London - when the tube stations and shops are shut.

[Jeremy]

antantant Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It can be really hard to find somewhere to top up

> late at night in London - when the tube stations

> and shops are shut.

There should be more top-up (and card purchase) machines around.

Problem is that the charming residents of London are often inclined to smash stuff up.

[cle]

There should be an app. I can add credit to Kabbee for example and it's live. Anyone could add credit from anywhere.

Bus Oyster sensors should be able to update and touch in simultaneously.

[Lynne]

I can't help womdering if it's legal to refuse money. After all, it's called "legal tender"

[DulwichFox]

I think it is bad policy in principal not to accept cash.

There may be people who will be left stranded late at night. ?

Having said that..

I have a Freedom Pass but seldom travel on Buses.

I spent most of my 40 working years either waiting for them or sitting on them.

I get an immediate sense of dread as soon as I board a bus.

They set me in such a foul mood, that by the time I get to where I'm going, I wish I'd stayed at home.

Even the thought of having to get one irritates me.

Worse still late at night when people are drunk. Shouting, arguing ,

Did not mind it in the old days when you got the occasional old drunk singing his socks off.

Got to stop now. Beginning to sound like the Miserable Old Foxy of past.. :)

PS. I Never carry Credit Cards at night preferring to use cash. If I were to lose my Freedom Pass

I would be knackered if I could not use cash.

DulwichFox

[Penguin68]

Although the most vulnerable (children, the old) travel for free, in the past drivers have been unhelpful in allowing passengers who are obviously qualified (clearly children or pensioners) to travel without an oyster, when it has been mislaid/ lost or stolen. Now they won't take cash, I hope they are being trained to be more sensitive about allowing those to travel who would be expected not to be paying anyway. (Obviously, there are people who look possibly too old (children) or too young (pensioners) for the driver to be certain, but in many cases it just seems to be bloody-minded/ jobsworth-ness to put them off the bus). In the old days kind travellers would pay sometimes for the stranded, but this is more complex where you have to use your own cards to do this, and can't just find a coin.